Midterm

Question 1

a form of regime associated with “rule by the people” with rights and liberties for citizens

Answer 1

Democracy

Question 2

is the ideology of government that favors closed, concentrated, and hierarchical process of decision making, often characterized by blind obedience to authority and suppression of individual freedom

Answer 2

Authoritarianism

Question 3

authoritarian regimes in which elections are held, at least nominally

Answer 3

Electoral authoritarianism

Question 4

Formal democratic institutions are in place but often and significantly violates, thus failing to meet standards for democracy

Answer 4

Competitive authoritarianism

Question 5

democracy but the electorate delegates much authority to the government

Answer 5

Delegative democracy

Question 6

democracy, but political and civil rights are not all provided or protected

Answer 6

Illiberal Democracy

Question 7

a political system that is marked by free and fair elections, and by the rule of law, a separation of powers, and the protection of basic liberties of speech, assembly, religion, and property

Answer 7

Liberal Democracy

Question 8

Levitsky’s Opinion on democratic institutions

Answer 8

o Formal democratic institutions are widely views as the principal means of obtaining and exercising political authority. Incumbents violate those rules so often and to such an extent, however, that the regime fails to meet conventional minimum standards for democracy
o Democracy is the rule of the game, but frequently and severely violated that fail to meet the minimum requirement of a democracy
o Arenas for political authority contestation in a competitive authoritarian regime
 The electoral arena- elections can be meaningful
 Legislature- maybe weak but not absent
 Judiciary- formal judicial independence and incomplete control by the government can provide political openings
 The media- independent media and media supervision

Question 9

o Transition from democratic to authoritarian regime

Answer 9

Democratic breakdown

Question 10

o Process by which a new democratic order becomes institutionalized
o Democracy more likely to endure in “consolidated democracies” than “transitional democracies”

Answer 10

Democratic consolidation

Question 11

o Political organizations that bring together diverse groups of people and ideas under the umbrella of an ideological mandate

Answer 11

Political Parties

Question 12

o Patterns of party politics characterized by the number of relevant parties in a country
o Types: dominant, tow party, and multi-party

Answer 12

Party Systems

Question 13

o Organizations that make demands in the political system on behalf of their constituents and members

Answer 13

Interest Groups

Question 14

groups compete openly to influence government decisions and policy marketplace for ideas and equal opportunity for groups; collective action problem and important groups may be excluded

Answer 14

Pluralism

Question 15

certain major groups are officially designated as representatives of certain interests ensures representation and facilitates consensus and national strategy; state can co-opt groups and contribute to authoritarianism; elitism also

Answer 15

Corporatism

Question 16

o Political parties in which membership and scope are largely restricted

Answer 16

Elite Parties

Question 17

o Parties with large number of citizens as members and undertake massive political mobilization

Answer 17

Mass Parties

Question 18

o Parties that are flexible on their ideological positions and aim to attract support from a broad range of interest groups and voters

Answer 18

Catch-all Parties

Question 19

o A party system in which one party dominates

Answer 19

Dominant Party System

Question 20

o Party system with two significant parties that have duopoly on governing
o Median voter theorem; strategic voting for more extreme voters

Answer 20

Two-party system

Question 21

o Party system with more than two major parties that have opportunities to govern; can be relatively fragmented

Answer 21

Multi-party system

Question 22

 Single ballot majoritarian elections with single member districts tend to favor a two-party system
 Proportional representation favors multi party systems

Answer 22

o Duverger’s Law

Question 23

Root words for democracies

Answer 23

Demos + Kratos

Question 24

origin of democracy? How was it defined?

Answer 24

Greek around 5th century BCE; A form of regime associated with rule by the people with rights and liberties for citizens

Question 25

o Basic rules, procedure, or standards required; also called minimal definition of democracy

Answer 25

Procedural Definitions

Question 26

o Emphasis on achieving end goals, more equity and more participation

Answer 26

Substantiative Definitions

Question 27

A kind of regime; transition from one type of regime to another, through which it becomes more of a democracy

Answer 27

Democratization

Question 28

emphasis on direct citizen involvement; committee meetings to discuss

Answer 28

Direct Democracy

Question 29

Politicians and institutions represent the citizens; there are elections

Answer 29

Representative Democracy

Question 30

o Features of social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination an cooperation for mutual benefit

Answer 30

Social Capital

Question 31

Civil society in Pluralist v Corporatist systems

Answer 31

o Relations to the state : less state involvement v more state involvement o Organizational and structural differences: nonhierarchical v hierarchical characteristics o Diversity of civil organizations: multiple groups competing v fewer groups

Question 32

Civil society and democratic transitions

Answer 32

o Conditions for civil society to thrive are conducive to democratization

Question 33

 Civil society and quality of democracy

Answer 33

o Stimulates political participation o Provides alternative channels for interest’s representation o Develops democratic attitudes: tolerance, moderation, compromise o Promotes socioeconomic development and improves governance by help addressing problems like social inequity

Question 34

 The state led deliberation or elimination of the political institutions sustaining an existing democracy

Answer 34

Democratic backsliding

Question 35

 The process by which institutions, practices, values, and norms gradually and perhaps slowly get eaten away

Answer 35

Democratic erosion

Question 36

o Fundamental rules and norms of politics, embodies basic principles in political in society, particularly where power should reside and how it should be used

Answer 36

Regime

Question 37

o Regime controlled by a small group of individuals who exercise power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public

Answer 37

Non-democratic regime

Question 38

o Regimes in which fundamental rules and norms of politics exemplify the authoritarianism

Answer 38

Authoritarian regimes

Question 39

o A type of authoritarian regime in which a state is controlled more by a group of elites rather than a single leader

Answer 39

Bureaucratic-authoritarian regimes

Question 40

a form of authoritarian regime that aims to control everything about the lives of its subject population

Answer 40

Totalitarian regime

Question 41

an authoritarian state controlled by religious leaders, or a state with very strict religious restrictions that uses religion as its main mode of legitimation

Answer 41

Theocracies

Question 42

Cause and effects of authoritarianism - Historical institutionalism

Answer 42

o Theory: coalitions among groups or classes shape fates of regimes, and institutions give these coalitions enduring effects  When actors combine forces, they may get regime that benefits them  Important actors may include social classes, economic interests, working class and peasants, military o Barrington Moore: whether a strong middle class was present when a society passed to political modernity makes a difference

Question 43

Cause and effects of authoritarianism- states weakness and failure

Answer 43

o Theory: states with weak institutions are more likely to be authoritarian o Result in predatory states o Less capable of totalitarianism o State weakness may be intervening variable  Low development weakness authoritarianism  Unstable coalition weakness authoritarianism

Question 44

Cause and effects of authoritarianism- poverty and inequality

Answer 44

o Theory: high levels of poverty or inequality leads to more authoritarianism  Absence of middle class  Populace in poverty concerns more with economic issues than political liberties  Inequality leads to mistrust between groups * Wealthy interests and reactionary authoritarians may defend privilege * Poor masses and radical authoritarianism may favor populism and redistribution

Question 45

providing benefits to people in return for public support

Answer 45

Clientelism

Question 46

assembly or body of representatives with the authority to make laws

Answer 46

Legislature

Question 47

o Representation of citizens o Vote on legislation o Control spending o Oversee the executive o Votes of no confidence (parliamentary systems) o Impeachment

Answer 47

Functions of legislature

Question 48

voters select representatives from specific geographic constituencies o Voters on the losing side may not feel represented districting can result in more/less seats for different parties o Gerrymandering can occur o Apportionment of seats by districts affects representation o Malapportionment: apportionment in which voters are unequally represented

Answer 48

District systems

Question 49

voters choose a preferred party and parties win seats according to the percentage of vote the party wins o Most PR is “closed list”- party leaders determine politician elected o Open list PR: citizens vote for individual candidates and all votes for all candidates aggregated by party to determine how many seats a party will get o Votes are not wasted o Does not provide voters with legislator that specifically represents their geographic constituency  Voters don’t know who to contact  Not much representation of local interests

Answer 49

Proportional representation

Question 50

public officials acting on behalf of the citizenry o Mandate approach: elected officials follow public opinion as a reflection of interest or views of citizenry at large o Independence approach: officials exercise discretion or their own judgement once they are elected

Answer 50

representation

Question 51

Authoritarian resilience in China

Answer 51

-citizen satisfaction has increased based on economic wellbeing o Persisting problems were corruption, pollution, social unrest, and separatism o New challenges included the internet, rising rights consciousness among citizens o The Chinese government has survived through coercion, surveillance, co-potation, and political indoctrination o Legitimacy: ideological legitimacy  performance-based legitimacy  Delivered economic development, higher standards of living and higher governance o State-sponsored nationalism: patriotic campaign and propaganda o Spontaneous nationalism and cyber nationalism: more popular in nature but subject to state influence o Nationalism goes hand in hand with pro-regime discourse: Regime in general portrayed as playing a positive role in saving and building China and defending national interest o International influence over nationalist support for the regime: trade war and criticism of the regime over Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc

Question 52

fundamental and supreme laws, usually written in a charter, that establishes the bases of a political system and the basis for other laws

Answer 52

Constitution

Question 53

limitation of government through a constitution

Answer 53

Constitutionalism

Question 54

features of a constitution that form the bases of the political system o Separation of power, responsibilities between level of government, and branches of government

Answer 54

Constitutional Design

Question 55

executive leaders make direct appeals to the people and seek to develop direct political ties with the masses

Answer 55

Populism

Question 56

A lower stage of communism/ a stage towards communism; often does not imply totalitarian political system and may embrace liberal political systems; emphasize economic equality achieved through state action

Answer 56

Socialism

Question 57

an ideology that seeks to create human equality by eliminating private property and market o The liberation of everyone, no exploitation or repression

Answer 57

Communist Manifesto

Question 58

Evolution of human society

Answer 58

Primitive slavery Feudalism Capitalism Communism o Productivity, means of production, and social relations o Capitalism communism o Developed productivity; exploitive relations, capital, labor, surplus value of labor class struggle : capitalist v working class

Question 59

Why are communist regimes declining?

Answer 59

o Communist regimes become totalitarian o Communist parties no longer serving and guiding the working class, but become a privileged class and serve as a control machine and power tool o Failure of planned economic

Question 60

Communism as a theory

Answer 60

 International communist movement o Workers of the world, unite  World systems and Central Periphery Theory o Core (exploits), semi-periphery, and periphery  Mao’s odea of 3 worlds

Question 61

the most important form of political organization in modern politics o Central political institution that exerts a “monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory- Max Weber o Defining characters of modern state: territory, claims sovereignty, legitimacy, and bureaucratic system o Normally, modern states are expected to perform certain functions and provide certain public goods o Modern stated are made up of a large set of institutions both to maintain itself and to play the functions- army, police, taxation, a judiciary

Answer 61

The modern State

Question 62

a large and geographically bounded population that often shares common history, culture, collective identity, and political aspirations

Answer 62

Nation

Question 63

the ultimate authority within specifically demarcated territories- no other domestic or foreign actors above the states; territorial disputes

Answer 63

Sovereignty

Question 64

A form of organization that has individuals operating and working under established, specified, and complex rules and procedures

Answer 64

Bureaucracy

Question 65

states identified with institutions rather than the personalities of their leaders

Answer 65

Impersonality

Question 66

Functions of modern states?

Answer 66

 Defense  Policing  Taxation  Managing the economy o Macro-management: supply of currency, making economic policy, directly run on some states  Provide social welfare-welfare states o Public health care o Education, social insurance and pension  Provide infrastructure and other public goods

Question 67

o Shorthand for the political system that combines state, regime, government as well as for the people living within the system

Answer 67

Country

Question 68

state’s capacity to govern and to preform functions

Answer 68

State Capacity

Question 69

how independent the state can wield its power vis-à-vis the publics o Strong states v weak states; failed states and state building

Answer 69

State autonomy